Sunday 1 January 2012

U.S. Ordinariate set up

For all those who are concerned about the fate of the 'displaced Catholics' of an increasingly heterodox  Anglican Communion (for many of whose provinces even the small fig leaf of the Anglican Covenant is a step too far) today's erection of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St Peter in the U.S.A. is a welcome development. The Ordinary has been named as Fr Jeffrey Steenson, former bishop of the Episcopal diocese of the Rio Grande.

Over the months this blog has had many things to say in favour of the provisions of Anglicanorum Coetibus, not the least being that, while seeking to preserve elements of historical Anglican patrimony, it serves to increase the unity of the Church and does not lead to the scandal of any further fragmentation of the Body of Christ.
After centuries of division, mistrust and misunderstanding there will be no 'perfect solution' to the problems of Christian disunity ( that is, a return to unity which is completely painless and acceptable with regard to the desires and sensibilities of all concerned); but those who are able should take advantage of this offer of reconciliation with the Holy See as and when they can.

But for those who can't, if present trends continue (and all the evidence points that way, particularly as regards the doctrinal 'profile' of the ever-increasing number of female clerics - see here for an analysis from Finland) undoubtedly life will be very grim indeed, either for those who try to hang on within the official Anglican Communion structures or for those who struggle to survive outside them, but it is hard to imagine that God will abandon those who, in good conscience, seek to be faithful.
Reports and further links at the Ordinariate Portal [here]

3 comments:

  1. So, are you going to be in the 'Second Wave'?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Fr Gollop is constrained from saying so, one way or the other, for the same reason his former colleagues across the Severn in the First Wave were, namely that public declaration for the Ordinariate would result in almost immediate deposition by his bishop.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Where's the love? That is so rude!

    ReplyDelete

Anonymous comments will not be published